Mom Tattoos 11-Year-Old Daughter

Last month, the Havelock Police Department arrested Odessa Clay, 30, for giving her 11-year-old daughter a small, heart-shaped tattoo on her shoulder. Clay now faces one count of tattooing a person under the age of 18 because apparently it is against the law for anyone to tattoo a minor in the state of North Carolina, even if there is parental consent.

Clay says she was not aware that tattooing a minor was illegal, especially since the minor in this circumstance was her own daughter. “She asked me to do it,” said Clay, adding that she only tattooed the outline and did not shade it in.

She suspects an ex in-law is responsible for ratting her out to the police as a means for getting revenge on her for filing a report against her daughter’s paternal grandfather.

Clay is schedule to appear in court to answer to her charge next month.